3-18-20

Can’t find sanitizer? Make it yourself
Sanitizing tips and recipes for family and home

By Tami Stevenson

The chances of going to the grocery store with a list and coming home with everything on it is iffy right now, to say the least. In an effort to stop the spread of the highly contagious coronavirus (COVID-19), people are stock-piling food, toilet paper and everything else on the store shelves, it seems. Things like hand sanitizers, sanitizing wipes, disinfectant sprays, bleach, alcohol and other common cleaners are nearly impossible to find.

An infectious diseases instructor at Washington University School of Medicine and St. Louis Children’s Hospital, Doctor Andrew Janowski, said in a news release, “The good thing about COVID-19 is that it does not require any unique cleaning chemicals to disinfect hands and surfaces.”

The CDC has some great DIY recommendations and recipes that can be made at home.

Homemade Hand Sanitizer:
Recipe recommended by Doctor Janowski
3 parts isopropyl alcohol (99%) to 1 part aloe vera gel. A few drops of tea tree oil can be added to give a pleasant scent, but is optional.

Clean your hands often.
•  Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds especially after you have been in a public place, or after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.

•  If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Cover all surfaces of your hands and rub them together until they feel dry.
•  Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.

RECIPE FOR DISINFECTANT SPRAY USING ALCOHOL

Sprays for household disinfectants

If you cannot find disinfectant sprays, such as Lysol, at the local store, and the thought of making your home smell like vinegar is not what you want – There is a solution, according to the CDC, with at least 70 percent alcohol that will do the job. They say using water with alcohol actually helps it to break down the germs better, so be sure not to use pure alcohol.

Ingredients

70% Alcohol (91% Isopropyl alcohol is recommended)

30% Water

Add whatever essential oil you wish. Try a small amount and add to your preference. Adding large quantities of essential oils can stain soft surfaces.

Pour mixture into spray bottle. It is recommended to test soft surfaces first.

Shake well before each use.

*Note: Some add a little hydrogen peroxide, but that could stain your soft surfaces.

The CDC website says unexpired household bleach will be effective against coronaviruses when properly diluted:

Homemade Household Disinfectant Recipe
- for hard surfaces/countertops, etc.
5 Tablespoons bleach per gallon of water or 4 teaspoons of bleach per quart of water. Pour into sprayer or directly onto a clean cloth and wipe down surfaces approved for this type of cleaning. Never mix household bleach with ammonia or any other cleanser.

For soft (porous) surfaces such as carpeted floor, rugs, and drapes, remove visible contamination if present and clean with appropriate cleaners indicated for use on these surfaces. After cleaning:
• Launder items as appropriate in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. If possible, launder items using the warmest appropriate water setting for the items and dry items completely.

Clothing, towels, linens and other items that go in the laundry
•  Wear disposable gloves when handling dirty laundry from an ill person and then discard after each use. If using reusable gloves, those gloves should be dedicated for cleaning and disinfection of surfaces for COVID-19 and should not be used for other household purposes. Clean hands immediately after gloves are removed.

◦   If no gloves are used when handling dirty laundry, be sure to wash hands afterwards.

◦   If possible, do not shake dirty laundry. This will minimize the possibility of dispersing virus through the air.

◦  Launder items as appropriate in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. If possible, launder items using the warmest appropriate water setting for the items and dry items completely. Dirty laundry from an ill person can be washed with other people’s items.

◦  Clean and disinfect clothes hampers according to guidance above for surfaces. If possible, consider placing a bag liner that is either disposable (can be thrown away) or can be laundered.

HOW LONG CAN CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) LIVE ON SURFACES?

According to a new government-funded experiment led by researchers from Princeton, UCLA and the National Institutes of Health, the corona virus can live on hard surfaces like stainless steel and plastics for up to three days and up to 24 hours on cardboard but only four hours on copper surfaces. However, the study has not yet had time to go through the normal scientific peer review process.